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Strong Passenger Support for newly re-opened Phase 1 of Western Rail Corridor

Press Release Wednesday April 7th 2010

The West on track community campaign has been monitoring passenger support for the newly re-opened Limerick-Galway section of the Western Rail Corridor on a daily basis since services commenced on March 30th.

We are delighted to report that the pre-existing Ennis-Limerick services are continuing to thrive while the new intercity Galway-Limerick services, 5 in each direction, are being strongly supported with stations such as Gort and Ennis showing steady and growing numbers in each direction. Smaller stations such as Sixmilebridge and Craughwell are also building well while exceptional numbers are evident on peak-time commuter services out of Galway e.g. more than 230 passengers on the 5.35 ex-Galway on Tuesday 6th April. Iarnród Éireann has responded by doubling the size of these trains to 4-piece railcar sets.

While we are in the early days of this railway’s development a strong and consistent pattern is emerging, confirming the research work carried out by West on Track over the years and illustrating that where genuine public transport options are provided, people will respond. There can no longer be any doubt but that the development of the Western Rail Corridor will prove to be one of the outstanding public transport success stories of Transport 21.

A spokesman for West on Track said: “These emerging patterns are a clear and unequivocal answer to those who predicted that this project would not be supported. There was some talk recently along the lines of “use it or lose it” or “let’s see if people will support it”. It is quite clear, even at this early stage, that the people have answered those questions emphatically so let us not hear any more nonsense of that nature from now on.”

“The large numbers of people waiting to avail of similar services from Tuam and Claremorris now expect that the Government will take encouragement from the success of Phase 1 and announce its intention to proceed to Tuam and Claremorris without any further delay. Everyone can now see that it makes sense,” he added.